The specific conference objectives are to: (1) examine the quality and safety parameters of PHN interventions, and identify gaps in the evidence linking PHN interventions to population health outcomes; (2) prioritize research needed to establish quality and safety standards for PHN interventions and address the identified gaps linking PHN interventions to population health outcomes; (3) specify the methodological and data barriers to understanding the relationships among quality of care, safety, cost and type of PHN interventions, and population health outcomes; (4) recommend strategies to overcome identified barriers to research linking PHN intervention type, quality, safety and cost with population health outcomes;and (5) disseminate the prioritized research agenda to nursing researchers and public health systems scholars and potential funders, including federal agencies and foundations, with the objective of health improvement and reduction of health disparities. The conference design includes invited, state-of-the art papers reviewing existing research and methods;facilitated small discussion groups exploring gaps in existing research, barriers and issues;and an all-participant consensus-building process establishing the research agenda priorities. One of eight domains will be addressed by an invited speaker and discussants: quality of PHN interventions, safety of PHN interventions, outcomes/effectiveness and costs of PHN interventions for population-patients, research methods challenges related to studying quality, safety, outcomes and costs of PHN interventions. The conference will be held over two eight-hour days in late September or early October 2010, at the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort and Conference Center, located 30 miles from the O'Hare airport, for an anticipated 100 invited participants. The Conference Planning Committee will be actively engaged in fine- tuning the list of state-of-the art topics, finalizing the list of invited speakers, and selecting poster presentations. Products directly resulting from the conference include eight white papers that reflect the eight domains, published papers, and adoption of the research agenda by funders. Proposed date for the conference: Late Sept or Early October 2010, pending availability. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Public health nurses provide the majority of personal, preventive public health services, making them a vital element of the health care delivery system. Research based on the agenda generated at this conference will identify how public health nursing (PHN) interventions contribute to population health outcomes and how those population outcomes may be affected by the safety and quality of PHN interventions. Potentially the net result of the research stimulated by this conference is more effective and efficient interventions to improve the health of the public.